Shannon's entropy for combining the efficiency results of different DEA models: Method and application

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) was initially proposed by Charnes, Cooper, and Rhodes for evaluating the decision making units (DMUs), via calculating their relative efficiencies. To do this, there exist many different DEA models and different DEA viewpoints. Hence, selecting the best model (viewpoint) or the way of combining different models (viewpoints) for ranking DMUs is a main question in applied DEA. This paper provides a methodology. based upon Shannon's entropy formula, for combining the efficiency results of different DEA models (viewpoints). An application of the provided method in educational departments of a university in Iran is also illustrated. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.